


Many Faces of the Force: Missing Moments

by Jaina



Series: Many Faces of the Force [2]
Category: Star Wars: New Jedi Order Era - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-07-08
Updated: 2004-07-08
Packaged: 2017-11-05 09:01:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/404628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jaina/pseuds/Jaina
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is going to be a series of vignettes set in the same universe as my story, Many Faces of the Force. Most of them will probably feature different characters, but they will all show missing moments from the story, and hopefully they should still make sense even if you haven't read the main story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Blissful Phantom

Jagged Fel stifled the urge to smile as the piece of paper in the breast pocket of his flight suite crinkled, and he snapped to attention. He would be off duty in a matter of hours and free, at least for a little while, of his shortsighted commanding officer. It was people like him who were making them loose the war.

Jag was barely even listening as the man continued to speak. He would do what he had to, to combat the Vong and keep the members of his squadron as safe as possible. The only thing that was keeping him from snapping at the man were thoughts of Jaina.

They had been separated for months now, since he had been a part of the half-squadron of Twin Suns pilots that Jag had taken to Shelter as a fighter escort for the Jade Shadow. When they had returned to Mon Calamari, he had been assigned his own squadron, despite his protests that he wanted and needed to stay with Jaina.

Jag saluted sharply and walked away from the man after he had finished his speech. This had been their first chance to see one another and they only had thirty-six hours of leave. It would be thirty-six very well spent hours if Jag had anything to say about it. He had missed her so much. He had missed her intoxicating presence and the way her brown eyes danced with anger, mirth, or love. Most of all he missed the way that he felt when he was with her, like they were the only beings in the galaxy.

They had been trying to keep in contact with each other as much as their unpredictable lives allowed, sending holomessages back and forth to one another across the galaxy. In the last message that Jaina had sent to him, she had ended it with a heartfelt, "I miss you, Jag," and then lightheartedly blown him a kiss. He had thought it was the end of her message, but he had been pleasantly surprised to see her image keep playing, rather than freeze in its final position.

The smile on her face was anticipatory and only for him. "I have something for you. I don't know when you'll get it, but you'll know it when you see it."

Two days later, a young lieutenant that he didn't know had stopped him in the docking bay, and given him a handwritten letter. Jag had known instantly who it was from. The young man had told him how the letter had changed hands repeatedly, being carried closer and closer to Jag's current posting every time.

He had known that it was different and important when he received it. Jag had immediately thought it was special. He hadn't known how special it was. Jaina had said so many things in that letter. Some of it surprised him and some of it had made him smile, in that way that only Jaina could make him smile. The words had been carefully written and he had pictured how she'd looked as she had written them- beautiful of course, but in a way that was uniquely Jaina.

Jag smiled as he ran a finger over the fine paper, now wrinkled from repeated readings. He stared at the last line in particular. It was a bold statement, sitting by itself at the end of the page, but it didn't fail to convey any of the emotions that the words signified.

I love you, Jag.

Jag hardly noticed it at first, and then he blinked, as if coming out of a trance as he noticed his comm. link chirping softly. It got louder and he looked at it curiously as he picked it up to answer it. He flicked it on, but it didn't stop chirping. The noise got louder still, changing in pitch and tone. And then to his confusion, he was staring at the cold hard lines of hyperspace. He smiled again instantly reassured as he remembered where he was. He was going to see Jaina. Jag reflexively reached for the letter that he knew would be in his pocket.

For one long moment he was puzzled and then quickly moved towards panicked as he realized that he couldn't find her letter.

As he searched for it through his worry and confusion, he noticed the coordinates for the destination of his hyperspace jump and sat back in his pilot's seat with a burst of saddened realization. He was not rushing to join Jaina for thirty-six hours of blissful shore leave. He was leading Spike Squadron to Bastion for a diplomatic conference, where he would be forced to watch Jaina with Zekk. Where he would be forced to witness the fact that being with Jaina and having the letter that had meant so much to him had all been a delightfully painful dream that could never achieve reality.


	2. Meet the Parents!

Wedge paced across his bedroom floor.  _'How could they? Him of all people!'_

Iella walks into the room and sees her pacing husband. "Wedge? What's wrong?"

"She... my ... my baby girl... with him!"

"Ah. So you finally found out, did you?"

**"WHAT? YOU KNEW? HOW LONG?"**

"Before they even did I suspect."

"But... he's... not good enough for her."

"Of course you don't think so dear."

"But he's... a Horn!"

"Corran's one of your best friends, Honey. I would think you'd be proud of your daughter dating him."

"But he's the son of a pilot! And you know how bad they are."

"Yes, I do. I married one."

"But she's too young."

"Honey, she's already seventeen. You can't hope that she won't date forever."

"I know! I'll forbid her from dating him!"

"Right, like that's never had bad consequences before. You're just going to have to accept that she's dating, and that she's dating a nice boy."

"But..."

"Wedge. Accept it. And besides, there are other ways of dealing with this."

"What do you mean?"

Iella smiles at her husband evilly. "Well, I think that we should have Corran and Mirax and their children over sometime for dinner. What do you think honey?"

A smile blossoms on Wedge's lips as he realizes what his wife is up to. "Oh, I think that would be a wonderful idea dear. The poor kids will never know what's happened to them. I have to go make a call now dear," Wedge says as he kisses his wife 'good-bye' before he runs off to call Corran.

A little knock is heard on her door. "Mom?" a soft voice calls out.

"Yes, come in."

"Is everything okay?" Syal asks as she enters her parents room.

"Yes, in fact, I think your father is rather happy about it now. He's gone off to invite the Horns over for dinner."

Syal smiles and replies, "Wow, that's great." After a pause she continues, "Is that why Dad was so happy when he left?"

"Yes dear. I'm sure that he and Corran will be able to cope with the idea of their children dating."

"Oh no," Syal murmurs as the repercussions of the date dawn on her. "That means that..."

"Yes," her mother replies.

"MOM! How could you let him do this? I'm going to be so embarrassed!"

* * *

 

On his last mission with his Jedi Master, Valin had faced down a crowd of raging Duros with only a blaster with a mostly empty carbine and a lightsaber with a low battery. Valin realizes abruptly that he had been less scared then than he is now, staring into the smiling face of Wedge Antilles.

"So, Valin, how long have you been dating my daughter?" The question is friendly enough, but Valin already knows that the retired General won't like his answer.

"A few years, Sir." Valin sees Wedge's teeth grind at the answer, but manages to repress the urge to slide down in his his seat.

"And have you been treating my daughter, right," Jedi Horn," Wedge's second question is more pointed and even slightly frantic as he turns to his left to look at Syal. "Has he been treating you right? No flying off and not being there for you, or dating a different girl on every planet?"

Syal looks at her father and admonishes him sharply, "Daddy! Stop picking on Valin like that. Valin's good to me and...and he loves me, Daddy. And I love him."

Silence reigns around the dinner table, as both sets of parents as well as Myri and Jysella stares at the youngest couple. Wedges' face is quickly turning red at an alarming rate that not even Wes Janson has seen before. He points a shaky finger at Valin, ignoring the others at the table. "You- you love her?"

It is as much of a question as an accusation. Valin straightens imperceptibly in his seat and glances at Syal. His gaze demands at first to know how she could put him in this position and then relaxes slightly as she gives him the smile that made him realize that he was in love with her in the first place.

 _If I can survive Booster, Son, then you can survive Wedge Antilles,_  Valin hears his father's encouragement through the Force and only hopes that it's true as he faces Wedge. For the first time that evening his voice isn't croaking as he speaks. "I do, Sir, and I have every intention of treating her as the most precious being in the galaxy."

Wedge scowls darkly and starts to deliver a new threat to Valin.

"Awwww!" The loud and united sigh of happiness from his wife and Mirax cuts him off abruptly as they begin to coo delightedly over their children. After watching for several moments, Wedge decides that perhaps allowing Mirax and Iella to continue is more torturous than anything that he could have devised. He smirks, moments later in vengeful glee, as he hears Mirax utter the phrase that will forever strike terror into the hearts of Valin and Syal.

"Let's get out the baby holos!"


	3. Never Alone

Jacen Solo walked aimlessly through the garden outside of the large reception hall where his sister's wedding banquet was being held. He had felt distinctly uncomfortable in there despite the presence of his family and friends inside. This day was Jaina's, however, and he wouldn't ruin it for her. The joy his twin was feeling at the moment was enough to dim even some of the pressures of Jacen's worries.

He was truly Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong now, leader of the most hated species in the galaxy. He had seemed to be the perfect choice for their leader, though. He had won that right and he had the power and understanding to hold his position among the Vong. The Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, the Imperials and the Chiss accepted him because they saw him, somewhat mistakenly Jacen felt, as one of their own. Still the job of being Supreme Overlord was exhausting both from the challenges of his own warriors and his durasteel determination to enforce peace between this galaxy and the Yuuzhan Vong. There were moments that it all seemed overwhelming and impossible. Jacen, whether he was surrounded by Vong or beings he had known all of his life, still felt incredibly alone.

"Friend Jacen," the words from behind him, started Jacen quickly out of his thoughts. He knew before he turned to face the person who it would be. Only Tenel Ka would address him as Friend. What Jacen wasn't prepared for a he turned with a weak smile to face Tenel Ka was how absolutely stunning she looked. Jacen felt his jaw drop dumbly as he stared at the beautiful queen of Hapes. In the dimming twilight of the Naboo dusk her crimson curls glowed and she seemed completely different from the girl he remembered. Years of separation had stripped the blinders of familiarity from Jacen's eyes and he truly saw her. The pair seemed to be frozen in silence as their eyes met across the short distance that separated them.

Not breaking eye contact Jacen bowed deeply to the Queen of Hapes. "Congratulations on your coronation."

Jacen thought he saw a ghost of a smile twist across Tenel Ka's lips, but dismissed it a moment later as an illusion of the fading light.

Tenel Ka gracefully matched his bow with a curtsy twitching her skirt up in her one hand. "Congratulations on becoming Supreme Overlord." She drew the traditional veil that covered her face back behind her head and found a seat on an elegant stone bench, before she looked back up at him. This time he knew that he didn't imagine the enigmatic smile as she spoke. "Now we are both rulers of beings that hate our heritage and the fact that we take pride in being Jedi Knights."

Jacen shook his head. "I don't know what I am anymore."

Tenel Ka responded as if it were the easiest answer in the world. "You are Jacen Solo, Supreme Overlord and Jedi Knight. Everyone follows the Force in a different path. Jaina's path is no yours as much as Master Skywalker's path was not your mother's. Would you argue that she is not a Jedi?"

He cocked his head and Tenel Ka and answered slowly. "No."

"Then just because you have taken a different path does not mean that you are not a Jedi Knight. You are as much a Jedi as I am."

"Thank you for the reminder, Qu-Tenel Ka," he stumbled over her name. Jacen wondered suddenly why he was so nervous. He hadn't felt this way in a very long time. "How are things on Hapes," he asked a moment later, as the silence suddenly grew too heavy.

Tenel Ka responded calmly, "Things on Hapes rarely change. There is always intrigue, plotting, deception and attempted violence." A proud smile shown on her face an instant later, as she added, "However, the new measures that have been put in place since my rule began has prevented any assassinations or other forms of political violence in the last four years. It's a record for Hapes."

"You should be proud of it," he said with a smile, surprising himself by taking a seat next to her. "I know you never wanted the position, but you've become one of Hapes' best Queens." For some reason he couldn't quite meet her eyes as he finished speaking, but he couldn't take his eyes off of her either.

"Thank you," she said quietly. A flicker of worry flashed across her face and she rose to stand again. For the first time in many years, Tenel Ka seemed uncertain and worried to Jacen. They were emotions that she rarely showed. She spoke again with an abrupt non-sequitor. "I missed you, Friend Jacen," she said quickly. "When I thought that you had died," she paused at a loss for words for a moment. "I was so full of rage. For an instant I went mad. I couldn't think. I didn't know what to do without you there, somewhere to try to make me laugh with at joke that wasn't even funny, or to talk to me when I needed someone to confide in. I missed my friend and I missed what might have been."

Jacen was speechless. He didn't know what to say. So for once he followed his instincts and his heart rather than endlessly thinking a situation through. He stood up and took a step forward, closing the distance between he and Tenel Ka and leaned down to kiss her. He got lost in the sensation of her soft lips against his and pulled back only reluctantly.

"Tenel Ka..." He spoke her name with reverence, but there was an edge of pain and hesitation in his voice as well.

She put a finger against his lips. "Don't say anything," she whispered softly. "I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that this is a mistake. That it is too difficult and too dangerous and that we should forget that this ever happened. You don't want us to be hurt."

The look of sadness in her eyes cut into Jacen's heart as he reached up to encircle her hand with his own. He curled her fingers around his hand and tilted the back of her hand up so that he could press a kiss on it. "I don't want you to be hurt," he murmured, "And I'm afraid that you'll be in danger from my warriors," he shook his head, "but I know that you can take care of yourself. I'm not going anywhere." He took another deep breath and then continued. "I think I've been in love with you since the first moment that we meant, but I just never realized it."

Tenel Ka laughed. It was a beautiful, rich sound that surprised Jacen. It was a laugh of relief and joy. "I love you, as well, Friend Jacen," she replied as she leaned towards him for another kiss. They would never be truly alone again.


End file.
